Scholarships for Minorities

Many organizations in the United States give encouragement in the form of college funding to minority students so that they can continue education without financial barriers. Students of minority sections like the Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, Asian Americans and Native Americans are offered a variety of scholarships which they can use to overcome economic hurdles in their education. Read on below for some of the most popular minority scholarships for school in the USA.

Gates Millennium Scholar Programs

Gates Millennium Scholar, known more popularly as GMS program is meant for all minority students irrespective of their national origin or race. The award is given to meritorious minority students who have a genuine financial need for the aid. Applications need to reach the scholarship foundation by the 1st of January every year. The scholarship is open for several fields of study including engineering, law, health sciences, education, information technology and mathematics. The eligibility criteria are similar to the Federal Pell Grant stipulations. Aspirants should also have a record of community service, strong leadership qualities, and extracurricular activities.

A. Patrick Charnon Scholarship

This scholarship awards $1,500 to students who write the best essay on tolerance and compassion towards people in the other communities. The essay must also elucidate how the author follows these principles in his life. All minority students who are admitted to a full-time four-year undergraduate program can apply for the scholarship. There is no stipulation about being a US citizen. International students and non-citizens can also apply for the scholarship. See also this post on scholarships for women.

Catharine Lealtad Scholarships

African Americans, Native Americans, and Latinos are eligible for this scholarship which was commemorated for the first African American graduate, Dr. Catharine Lealtad. Strong academic excellence is required for winning this scholarship. Students win $3,000 annual scholarships. Students who are the finalists for National Hispanic Scholarship or National Achievement Scholarship stand to obtain $5,000. A strong high school record is a prerequisite.

Endowment for South Asian Students of Indian Descent Scholarship Fund

As the name indicates, this scholarship is for students of Indian origin. $2,000 is awarded to students who qualify for a medical seat. The scholarship is available only for students who have spent at least 12 months in Pennsylvania, excluding the years of undergraduate or graduate school. The applicant should be a first, second or third generation American Indian. Also, the applicants need to be enrolled for full-time medical college in Pennsylvania, must qualify for Free Application for Federal Student Aid and should be in the second, third or fourth year of medical college.

HCC Black History Committee Scholarship

HCC or Houston Community College Scholarships are provided for students of this college. There are different kinds of scholarships such as ones requiring 6 credit hours and 9 to 12 credit hours. The scholarship is for students who have GPA 2.25, who are in genuine need of financial aid and who are permanent residents or citizens of USA. Aspirants need to write an essay on their career goals, professional aspirations, and education.

General Motors Minority Scholarships

General Motors Minority Scholarships are provided for students who have an excellent academic track record and genuine financial requirement. A scholarship of $5,000 is awarded to students enrolled in automotive marketing. But there are more options. Learn more here.

Consortium for Graduate Study in Management

Fourteen business schools in America have come together to form a consortium to aid minority students of African American, Native Americans, and Hispanic American origins. Students must be citizens of America and must have passed a graduate study suitable for the postgraduate degree of Master in Business Administration. The consortium award more than three hundred scholarships every year.

RTNDA Ed Bradley Broadcast Journalism Scholarship

African Americans can avail $10,000 scholarship funded by Ed Bradley, the correspondent of 60 Minutes. Students who aspire to build a career in broadcast journalism can take up this scholarship, and there are scholarships for black women as well.

Besides these scholarships, there are several others which focus on specific minority groups. Colleges and Universities also give out special scholarships to minority students. Minority aspirants need to keep track of the deadlines and make sure that their application reaches on time. Several scholarships are not renewed every year and require evidence of good academic work. students can, however, apply for new scholarships in each year of their study since there are many scholarships for second, third-, and fourth-year students as well.